The articles for this week explained how people react with virtual environments and virtual technology, how people use virtual communication, and what are the implications of these virtual communities. By covering these themes the articles worked together to fully explain the virtual communication system.
The Stone article was a good introduction to the other articles. It described technology as an extension of a person (a prosthesis). It also provided a brief history of the development of virtual communication and technology. She explores ones identity and role in the "virtual age". Identity also plays and important role in the Campbell article (his gay identity was very important to his research).
The article by Campbell focused on the idea of a virtual community using IRC's. He investigated a gay oriented chat room using participant observation. He examined the way in which people interacted within this type of environment. People communicate more openly in this type of setting because because there is no face to face interaction. I notice myself communicating more openly in programs like AIM, I think it is an easier way to communicate, though anti-social.
The Turkel article and the Dibble article had a lot in common. They had a negative opinion of the implications of virtual interactions. The Turkel article explains how people are losing touch with real life (RL). This happens in a number of ways: virtual experiences seem real (Disney Land Effect), the fake seems more compelling then the real (fake crocodile), and by participating in a virtual experience you feel like you have done more then you actually have. I have often refereed to an AIM conversation s "talking" to someone and I sometimes think my AIM conversations are better then real ones. All of these things are negative because they remove a person from reality. You can have a career in a virtual world, shop online, meet people in chat rooms, and even have sexual interactions. Chat rooms are replacing local bars and face to face communication. There should be a balance between virtual and real life communications. Virtual experiences should be used to help improve real life ones.
The Dibble article investigates a particular incident of a member of a virtual community who sexually abused other players with voodoo dolls. This presented a problem because the virtual is not real life. It is difficult to deal with a serious problem that have occurred in the virtual realms. It also showed just how seriously people take their virtual lives. Concerned members congregated in s forum to discuss virtual polices concerning violence (this reminded me of Friedman's utopian sphere).
As explored in the other articles people may use the virtual as a substitution for real life experiences. The author mentions how quickly she became engrossed by the LamdbMOO community and their unique situation (this happened in the Campbell article as well).
The Dibble and Turkell article seem like they are talking about how the separation between virtual and real life experiences is becoming blurred. In the Dibble article the people involved with the sexual assault scandal took the matter as if a rape had actually occurred. They were personally affected by the damage done to their virtual community. Turkell talked about how real life experiences are being replaced by virtual ones and distorting peoples view of reality.
While reading the articles I was constantly reminded of Second Life (which I figured out is a MOO (object oriented) from the Dibble article. Second Life is a large virtual community. Many of the themes mentioned in these articles apply to this game. It simulates social interaction in an artificial environment. The name suggests that it is an alternate life for the player. If one is unhappy with their life they can start a new one that they have much more control over. This brings me back to the Turkell article where she talks with young college graduates attempting to better their lives through the virtual world.
